Means for automatically releasing ships&#39; boats.



R. ARCHIBALD. MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY RELEASING SHIPS BOATS.

AIfPLIOATION FILED JULY 20, 1908. I

Patented June 29, 1909.

ATTOR/VEK' r s if 1 N'E' "TU Uri tall liEEAI-IS; FOR AUTOIMATICALLY RELEASING SHIPS BOATS.

T 0 all whom it 77? cu] cos-worn:

BL it llnown timt ilui an'r ane-Ln, r British subject, residin at (an couver, .u the Province of British Columbia, rauada, have invented a new and useful improvement in Means for lrutomatically Releasing Ships Boats, of which the following specification.

This invention relates to a means for releasing a ships boat from the davit falls by which it lowered to t ne water and is designed to automatically eliect the release of the boat as soon as its weight is sustained by the water.

The invention is particularly described in the following s )ecification, and illustrated in the drawings by which it is accompanied, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates the device detached in side elevation and part section, Fig. 2, an end elevation looking from th stern toward the bow attachment or from the bow toward the stern attachment, and Fig. 3, a section show ing the attachment in the act of releasing.

Secured to and downwardly projecting from the lower block of the davit tackle in place of the usual hook is a shank 2 having a spherical enlargement 3 at its lower end, and secured to the frame of the boat at bow and stern is a member 5 having a socketed recess adapted to receive the lower end of this shank 2 and its enlargement 3.

That portion ol the recess which is designed to receive the spherical enlargement 3 is angled downward, as shown in 1 toward the entrance, so that while the weight or the beat is sustained by the tackle the spherical enlargement will be drawn into secure engagement with the corresponding recess of the member 5 and the boats weight will be sustained thereby, but as soon as the boat strikes the water the weight of the shank and its connected block will force the lower end of the spherical enlargement down: ward and outward and the shank will free itself from the socketcd recess, leaving the boat tree from its davit tackle.

The socketed recess of each member is directed inward toward the center of the boat, 6. e. the recess of the bow attachment is directed to the stern and that of the stern attachment to the bow.

.The shank 2 is of sullicient length to enaale it to be grasped by the hand and placed in the. recess of member 5. Each recess directed toward the other end of the boat, so that it one Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1903.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. l l lfi lii.

d is released first and the boat is hangin by Cur attacraunt, ifli'orc til boat is tilted to a di, rcus angle that tilting r. ill itself free the other end as its stem '2 will fulcrum against the upper edge oi the recess farther from its inlet aperture and force the spherical enlargement out of the recess, as imlicated in Fig. 3.

To prevent accidental release of the boat from its tackle while it is being turned outboard a sal'etypin (3 is inserted obliquely through the member 5 in such a position that it will pass across the recess l in the path of the enlargement 3 toward release. This pin 6 is clear of the enlargement 3 when such is in the sustaining position so that no strain is on it and it can be readily removed when required.

It will be obvious that the device may be inverted without change in the manner of its operation i. a. the stem 2 with its enlargerent 3 may be secured to the boat and the member 5 to the block oi the tackle.

The device is simple, inexpensive and thoroughly ellicieut as it is without any working parts which are liable to derangement or to be interfered with by the occupants ot the boat.

Where the device is employed the use of a swivel on the tackle may be dispensed with, as the stem 2 is free to turn in the socketcd recess and is moreover accessible for the necessary attention to keep it in good condition, while swivel joints are apt to rust in unless carefully and regularly attended to.

Although spccilically described in its application as a means for detaching a boat it may obviously be used. as a. means for detaching connected parts where similar conditions prevail.

llaving now particularly described and ascertained the nature ol my said invention, and in what manner the same is to be used, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is:

1. As a means for connecting a boat or other article to a tackle in a manner that it may be automatically released therefrom when pushed together, a cylindrical stem having a spherical onlz'u'gemcnt attached to one end thereof, said stein adapted to be attachcd to the tackle, and a member at tached to the article to )0 released, said member having a socketed recess, said recess having a tubular portion to receive a spherical enlargement oi the other member, a portion of loss width to receive the cylindrical iii stem of such other member, and a pin projected through said socketed member and passing diagonally through the tubular portion of the recess to form a stop for said spherical enlargement.

2. In a device of the class described, two separable members, one of said members comprising a cylindrical stem projecting in a spherical head, the other member having a socketed recess to receive the stem and tubular h ad of the other member, said sock- 1 eted recess consisting of a diagonally eXtend- 1 ing tubular recess portion merging with portion of less Width, said tubular recess portion adapted to receive the spherical head and said portion of less Width adapted to receive the cylindrical stem of the other member, and a stop pin projecting diagonally through said socketed member to retain the spherical head therein, said recess of the socketed member lyin Wholly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sockcted member and the stem when coupled together.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

RUPERT ARCHIBALD. l -fitnesses ROWLAND BRITTAIN, CLIVE S. CARMAN. 

